Craigendoran Pier Deviation
Introduction
This deviation of the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway opened in 1882 to serve Craigendoran Pier, the North British Railway's new pier on the north bank of the Clyde from which it ran paddle steamers to various Firth of Clyde piers. The course of the original route was abandoned. The new pier provided a quicker train to steamer connection than the walk between Helensburgh Central and Helensburgh Pier. It operated in direct competition with the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Greenock Princes Pier [2nd] and (after 1889) the Caledonian Railway's Gourock Pier. The pier closed in 1972 but the deviation, and the Craigendoran platforms on the deviation, remain open. Craigendoran Pier, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly derelict.
Dates
| / /1879 | Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway Combined Craigendoran Pier and Craigendoran authorised on a new loop, Craigendoran Pier Deviation, on the south side of the line, east of Helensburgh station. Original alignment abandoned. |
| / /1894 | Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway Craigendoran Pier Deviation West Highland Railway Craigendoran signal box closed and replaced by Craigendoran Junction signal box. |
| / /1939 | Craigendoran Pier Deviation Ferry services cut back (just prior to the outbreak of the World War II). With the war, PS Lucy Ashton became the only vessel operating out of Craigendoran Pier to Helensburgh Pier, Kilcreggan Pier, Gourock Pier, Kirn Pier and Dunoon Pier. |
| 28/03/1960 | Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway Craigendoran Pier Deviation West Highland Railway Craigendoran East signal box closed, control passed to Craigendoran Junction signal box renamed Craigendoran. |
Portions of line and locations
This line is divided into a number of portions.
Craigendoran station
The deviation ran from west of Craigendoran station, through the station to Craigendoran Junction. Craigendoran Pier, to the south, was served by a third platform, a branch from Craigendoran Junction. The original alignment was abandoned.
On the Helensburgh side of Craigendoran were a pair of carriage sidings. These were on the east side of the line, connecting to the Glasgow bound line by the northern platform end and overlooked by the 'pagoda' signal box on the West highland Railway.
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The name Craigendoran comes from a farm which was located on the shore side of the original alignment. This was demolished for the alignment of the new deviation.
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Brian Haslehust //1963
Brian Haslehust 09/05/1964
David Panton 07/10/2020
Brian Haslehust //1965
Craigendoran Pier was a pair of piers of unequal length served by a single platform terminus station directly alongside the main Craigendoran station. The northern pier was the longer and the southern was rail served with a single goods siding. The station had a long curving single platform on the north side of a run round loop.
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Brian Haslehust 29/05/1965
Brian Haslehust //1965
Brian Haslehust //1965
Brian Haslehust //1963
The pier platform lines met the Helensburgh line east of Craigendoran station. This was remodelled in 1894 into a junction proper when the West Highland Railway opened. This was a double track junction, the West Highland becoming single track north of Craigendoran Upper station.
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See also
West Highland Railway
Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway
John McIntyre 02/07/2021
Beth Crawford 09/08/2018
Mark Bartlett 30/07/2017
John McIntyre 27/01/2022
